Maybe both, if we're lucky--but you didn't hear that from me!
Did you say something, mav?
Seriously, though, I gave my permission for people to use this thing, and I meant it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oy vey... I did
not expect to end up doing 850 lines' worth of Viper Manor, but
between Magus and Luccia and Nikki, things kind of got a bit out of hand...
Anyway, before I begin, a few notes on accents: I've assigned Zelbess the same accent as
Irenes has, which is sort of based on a German accent, but I've toned it down somewhat by
cutting the number of meaningless umlauts. Specifically, Zelbess uses T for unvoiced TH,
D for voiced TH, but a-umlaut only where an English word has an A representing the sound
corresponding to the German a-umlaut (essentially, short e, like the vowel in bet), and
o- and u-umlaut not at all.
I also kept Luccia's accent, which seems to be loosely based on Russian. She uses V for
W and D for voiced TH, but leaves unvoiced TH untouched, and makes a few specific word
substitutions ("wot" for "what", "vone" for "one). It's possible that there are other
substitutions that would be appropriate, but I have only the vaguest idea of what a
real Russian accent sounds like. I just hope she isn't too hard to understand, because
she does a lot of talking here.
(Yeah, I took a couple of years of German back when I was a student, and have done
some reading on linguistics. What's your point?
)
++++++++++++++++++PART III: Back at Viper Manor, and Recruiting Luccia++++++++++++++
=================================================
Mess Hall, Viper Manor (Another)
=================================================
Orcha:
Now where did that
slacker go? Can't let
him outta my sight...
Serge:
Slacker? You mean the
dishwasher? (Come to
think of it, wasn't he
acting suspicious when we
were here before? Or am I
getting him confused with
someone else?)
=================================================
Luccia's Lab, Viper Manor (Another)
=================================================
[Assuming that they come here before going up to the roof.
The "dishwasher" is in the cage trap that connects to the
treasure room.]
Dishwasher:
Luccia isn't here.
She might be on the
roof terrace.
Dishwasher:
More importantly...
Could you let me
out of here?
Serge:
Um, okay, I guess. (Mind you,
I don't know why he's in here,
but I wouldn't even leave Lynx
in Luccia's trap. I mean, who
knows what she might do to him?)
[Serge opens the door to the cage, and the dishwasher steps out and
starts heading for the door, but he stops and turns before getting all
the way there.]
Dishwasher:
Ahahaha...
Dishwasher:
Hah haha ha...
I'm still new around here.
So, I got lost and ended up
in here by mistake.
Don't worry. I wasn't snooping
around or anything...
Really!
Nikki: | Guile:
Sure, man--it isn't our | What you were doing is
problem even if you were. | none of our concern.
Serge:
(I'm glad I let him out.
I hope he robs Viper blind.)
Dishwasher:
Well, take care.
=================================================
Riddel's Room, Viper Manor (Another)
=================================================
Riddel:
Oh my goodness...
That night...
You are the ones who...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[If Kid is in the group]
Kid:
Yeah, that would be us.
Riddel:
You...shielded me with your
own body...
Kid:
Eheheh... Pretty stupid thing
for me to do, really, but all's
well that ends well, right? Ya
doin' okay?
Riddel:
I am...still a bit shaken,
but otherwise well.
[Kid nods]
Kid:
Stay away from that Lynx from
now on, ya hear me? He's bad
news.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[If Kid is not in the group, Glenn must be, so...]
Riddel:
Glenn, I had thought you
would be on your way to Fort
Dragonia by now.
Glenn:
The only boat I could find
belongs to these people, and
they wished to make a detour.
However, I am confident that
we will soon be on our way
to the fort.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Riddel:
I had not expected to see
any of you here again.
Serge:
We were hoping to find some
clues about Lynx. He...did
go with the general, right?
(Urgh, this would be such a
great time to find out that
he came back here and we
have to deal with him before
we've had a chance to
prepare...)
Riddel:
Despite what happened that
night, my father refused to
part from him. They did
indeed leave together.
Serge:
For Fort Dragonia.
Riddel:
Yes. I scarcely dare hope...
Do you think you will be
able to talk some sense into
my father? Ever since Lynx
appeared, he has been...
[Riddel bows her head]
Glenn: | Nikki: | Guile: | Kid:
Miss Riddell... | I hate to disappoint | That is not our intended | Like I said,
| a pretty girl, but... | task, although the nature | Lynx is bad
| | of Lynx's hold over Viper | news.
| | is certainly mysterious... |
Serge:
We'll try if we get a chance,
but I doubt your father is
going to be all that interested
in talking. (I can't believe
I'm being this nice to the
daughter of a guy who wanted me
dead...but none of that was
Riddel's fault.)
Riddel:
I understand, and am glad you
are even willing to make the
attempt.
Riddel:
There is not a single
thing I can do...
except pray for
their safety.
=================================================
Library, Viper Manor (Another)
=================================================
[Belthasar will not be here if Magus is in the party. If Guile isn't also with
them, nothing in particular will happen--the room will just be empty.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[If Magus and Guile are both there, however...]
Guile:
Prophet! Are you here? There
is someone to whom I would
like to introduce you.
[Guile's head moves as he looks around the room.]
Guile:
How odd. I wonder if he has
quarters somewhere else in the
manor...
[Guile turns to face the rest of the party]
Guile:
My apologies, Magus. The old
man has a quality about him
that somehow reminds me of you,
and I had thought he might be
a countryman.
Magus:
...There is the scent of magic
about this place. I caught a
hint of it on the lower floors
of the building, but it is very
strong here.
Serge:
The old man did show us a kind
of illusion when we were here
before.
[Magus walks around the room, stopping a couple of times to
look at stuff. He ends up in front of the desk. The others
watch him.]
Magus:
There are a number of residues
here, but the strongest seems
to belong to some sort of
detection spell. Whoever cast
it wished to be warned of the
approach of a specific person.
[He turns to face the others again.]
Magus:
I think this "Prophet" of
yours may be missing because
he doesn't want to meet me.
Kid:
Wha'? But he doesn't even know
ya!
Magus:
We don't know that. He might
have reason to fear me, or
he might not wish me to
regain my memory...or this
might all be a simple mistake.
Serge:
(He's pretty relaxed about all
this--more than I would be--but
I suppose he's had practice.)
Guile:
My apologies. This time, I
truly thought that--
Magus:
You may indeed have found
something of use. I will have
to return here when time
permits, and take precautions
not to alert this "Prophet"
before I can question him.
If he truly holds a clue to
what I have lost, I will
NOT let it slip through my
fingers.
Serge:
(I take it back--the expression
on his face right now is scary.
I sure wouldn't want to be that
Prophet guy when Magus does
catch up with him.)
Magus:
We've wasted enough time here.
Let's go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[If Magus isn't in the party, the Prophet will be in the room, and
we get the normal set of interactions.]
Prophet:
General Viper has headed
for Fort Dragonia
to the southeast.
The 4 Devas and most
of the dragoons have
accompanied him.
Serge:
I guess that explains why
it's so quiet here...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[I think this is what you get if you speak to him a
second time.]
Prophet:
It will be quite
difficult facing the
Porre military here.
Serge:
So Porre will be coming here?
(That's weird--I thought the
General worked for them.)
Prophet:
I believe so. The Porreans
are among the many people
interested in the Frozen
Flame. If they knew more
about it, they might not
be so eager...
=================================================
Neo Epoch Room, Viper Manor (Another)
=================================================
[If Magus is present, he does a double-take upon first entering the room.]
Magus:
!
[He walks up to the Neo Epoch and touches its side]
Magus:
This is...
[For a moment, nothing more happens. Then--]
Serge:
...is what?
Magus:
I'm...not certain, but I think
I may once have been familiar
with a similar machine. A
larger one. But where and when,
what it was called, what it
was used for, and who built
it...all of that seems to be
lost along with the rest.
Serge:
I'm sorry.
Magus:
I don't want your pity, boy.
[He looks at the Neo Epoch again]
Magus:
Whoever placed this here may
have some of the answers I
seek. One way or the other,
I WILL learn who I am.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[If Magus is not there, Nikki automatically is, so...]
Nikki:
What is this? Some kind
of transport? I wish I
could show this to Miki--
there has to be a way we
could use one of these in
a show.
=================================================
Roof Terrace, Viper Manor (Another)
=================================================
[When they arrive on the roof, Luccia is bent over, staring into the pondlet]
Luccia:
Dat Lynx! His little fight
vith those children damaged
my experimental subject! I
vill have to start over.
Perhaps I vill program de
next one vith an aversion
to cats!
Serge:
Um... If we damaged anything
important when we were up
here before, we're sorry.
(I just hope she doesn't want
one of us to fix her whatever-
it-is...)
[Luccia looks up and notices them for the first time]
Luccia:
No, no, I do not blame you.
It is Lynx's fault entirely.
If only HomoSap flowers
vere not so delicate, I
could have kept it safe in
a cage... But you did not
come here to speak of dis.
If you vish to converse, I
vill be in my lab.
[She walks away. Serge looks down at the pond and scratches the back of his head.]
Serge:
(...It just looks like an
ordinary flower to me.)
=================================================
Luccia's Lab, Viper Manor (Another)
=================================================
[If they didn't visit the lab before finding Luccia on the rooftop, the "dishwasher"
won't have been let out of his cage. I'm too lazy to go and dredge for video reference,
but I assume Luccia lets him out near the beginning of this scenelet.]
Luccia:
Vot are you doing?
Dishwasher:
Ahahaha...
Dishwasher:
Hah haha ha...
I'm still new around here.
So, I got lost and ended up
in here by mistake.
Don't worry. I wasn't snooping
around or anything...
Really!
Dishwasher:
Well, take care.
Serge:
(I hope he realizes he wasn't
being very convincing. I
wonder why he's really
here...?)
------------------------------------------------
[If they did let the dishwasher out before, the scene begins at this point.]
Luccia:
Vot is it you vant?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[If Nikki is in the party...]
Nikki:
I'd like to talk to you
about Marcy.
Luccia:
Marcy? Vot is your interest
in the child?
Nikki:
I think she's my sister.
Luccia:
Sister? Ah, then you vould
be Nikki.
Nikki:
!
How did you know? Marcy
doesn't even remember me.
Luccia:
I have not spoken vith Marcy
of her family. Indeed, I have
barely spoken to her at all.
Your mother felt it best dat
she not know I had an interest,
after vot happened. It might
have...attracted attention.
Serge:
(That's weird--if no one's
supposed to know Luccia has
anything to do with Marcy,
why did the Prophet send Nikki
to her? How did he know?)
Nikki:
You knew my parents, then.
Luccia:
I knew Zelbess, your modder,
and dat all too briefly. Your
fadder, I have never met.
Nikki:
I don't remember him very
well myself--just impressions.
He was a big man, with a
booming laugh, and the bluest
eyes I've ever seen.
Luccia:
Dat matches de descriptions
I have heard, yes.
Nikki:
I'm getting sidetracked here.
Tell me about Marcy.
Luccia:
Do you know...vot happened
to your modder?
[Nikki shakes his head.]
Nikki:
No one would tell me much.
She was kidnapped, I think,
she and the baby, and my
father left to look for
them...and never came back.
Luccia:
She vas taken by Porre. Dey
considered the opportunity
to study a half-demi-human
child invaluable. Viper tried
to protect your family, but
he failed.
Leena: | Kid: | Glenn:
"Half-demi-human"? Are you | Whaddaya mean, "half- | "Half-demi-human"? You cannot
saying that Nikki is...? | demi-human"? | possibly mean...?!
Nikki:
Yeah, my mother was a mermaid.
It never made much difference
to me--I swim really well,
that's all. But I usually don't
tell people about it. It makes
them look at me funny, and
that's Not Cool, you know?
Serge:
So what happened? Zelbess got
captured by Porre, and then...?
Luccia:
She vas taken to a lab on the
mainland. Dat is vhere I met
her. I vas barely out of
school den, and Zelbess...
she befriended me. She vas
a varm soul. I sent a message
to General Viper for her, but
after dat, everything vent
wrong...
[The scene fades out, then back in again. We are now in that mainland laboratory
Luccia mentioned, a grey room full of cages. Zelbess (really Irenes' model with
a different surface texture) is slumped in the centermost one; the others are empty.
After a moment, Viper and Luccia enter the screen, heading for Zelbess' cage.]
Viper:
I am surprised that they let
you get a message to me.
Luccia:
The demi-human herself is
of little interest to de
scientific community. It is
her daughter my superiors
vish to study.
Viper:
Little Marcy...
[They arrive at Zelbess's cage.]
Viper:
Zelbess... Zelbess, can you
hear me? It's Viper--I'm here
to get you out.
[Zelbess raises her head slowly]
Zelbess:
V-viper? Luccia? Oh...
[Luccia opens the cage]
Luccia:
Come. Ve have little time.
Zelbess:
I will not leave wit'out
Marcy.
Luccia:
She is under guard--if ve go
after her, ve vill be caught!
Zelbess:
Den go. I'll do dis alone.
Viper:
WE'LL do this. I mean, I know
if it were Riddel, I would...
[Viper flushes and looks away.]
Zelbess:
T'ank you for helping me,
Luccia. You have done more
dan I had däred hope.
[Luccia shakes her head]
Luccia:
Very vell. I vill show you
vhere Marcy is, since you
seem villing to stand here
arguing until the guards come
if I do not. You are a fool,
Zelbess.
Zelbess:
All pärents are foolish, I
t'ink.
[The scene fades out again.]
Luccia: [while the screen is black]
Viper vas able to decoy
the guards avay from Marcy
for a short time, and
so ve vere able to take her,
but de alarm vas raised
soon aftervard.
[Fade in--this time, we're in a nearly featureless grey corridor where the lighting
is flashing ominously red. Zelbess, with a bundle in her arms, is fleeing along it
toward an intersection at the far end, with Luccia bringing up the rear.]
Luccia:
...Nearly dere... Ve
need to turn right...
Zelbess:
(pant)...Ja...
[Zelbess reaches the intersection and turns to the right, but before she can proceed
along the intersecting corridor, we hear the sound of a gunshot, and her body jerks.
She collapses to the ground, still holding Marcy. Luccia skids to a stop practically right
on top of her as Grobyc enters from the left-hand corridor.]
???: [Grobyc, but we don't know that yet]
Mission-accomplished.
Target-is-destroyed.
Luccia:
You are my brodder's...
Vho gave the order to
deploy you? You are not
complete yet!
???: [Grobyc]
...
Marcy:
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
[Luccia bends down and picks up the baby. Grobyc aims a weapon at her.]
Luccia:
Put dat down, you stupid
meat-robot! You did not even
shoot de right person! Dis
child is a decoy--de merwoman's
true offspring is probably
miles from here by now!
???: [Grobyc]
The-wrong--
[Grobyc shakes his head spastically, staggers from one side of the hallway to the
other, and then sits down in the middle of the floor with his head sagging against
his chest.]
Luccia:
Dey vill need a more robust
logic routine for dat one,
I see...
Marcy:
WAAAAH!
Luccia:
Hush, little vone. You vill
be back vith your fadder soon.
[Norris enters from the far end of the left corridor and stops dead. (If Marcy is around
a year old, Norris would be about eighteen, so the timing is just barely possible.)]
Norris:
What happened here?
Luccia:
My brodder's fool machine
shot de mermaid vithout first
checking to see if she vas
carrying de right baby!
[Norris shakes his head.]
Norris:
I thought that maybe it wasn't
a very good idea to use that...
creature...but I'm too junior
to argue with my orders. You
say this is the wrong infant?
Luccia:
Does she look part mermaid to
you?
[The scene fades out once more, and we are returned to Luccia's lab at Viper Manor.]
Luccia:
Vith Viper's support, I vas
able to make de lie stick, but
I vas no longer velcome in
Porre. Viper invited me to
El Nido, and Marcy has grown up
here at the mansion.
Nikki:
But my father--
Luccia:
He vent a bit mad after he heard
Zelbess vas dead. He turned my
lie back on me, said Marcy vas
not his child, argued vith Viper
about it, and left the manor. I
do not know vot happened to
him after dat.
Kid: | Glenn:
And let me guess--ya haven't | If Marcy knows any of this,
told Marcy any of this, | she must hate her real father.
have ya? | She all but worships General
| Viper.
Luccia:
I thought it best dat she
not know. Porre may still
be interested in her, and
dis makes it less likely
dat dey will find her.
Serge:
(But I bet no one's thought
much about how Marcy feels
about not knowing. Poor kid.
She probably makes up stories
about what happened to her
family, the way I did about
Dad after he disappeared...)
Nikki:
So you let her think she was
abandoned?! I... I...
[Nikki is shaking as he speaks.]
Nikki:
I don't know what to say to
you. I just don't. You saved
Marcy's life, but then you
pulled something like this...
I...
Leena: | Kid: | Glenn:
Nikki... You can't undo what's | Let it go, mate. Keep | Luccia's actions have
already happened, but so long | tryin' to talk to yer | not been entirely
as you and Marcy are both | sister--that's all | honourable, but harming
alive, there's a chance you'll | ya can do. | her will not help Marcy.
be able to patch something | |
together, right? | |
Nikki:
I suppose you're right...
but it's going to be a
while before I stop being
pissed off about this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Urgh, that took forever! Anyway, moving right along, if Nikki is not in the
party or the above lengthy expository scene has already taken place, the
following occurs...]
Serge:
~~~We could use your help. | ~~~Um, nothing. Sorry
Would you like to join us? | to bother you.
|
Luccia: | Luccia:
Sigh... | Dä... I guess I should
Vith my HomoSap experiment | get out more often and
so badly damaged, I really | gather research material.
do not have any research |
I can do here. I guess | Luccia:
the time is right. | Vith my poor HomoSap too
| traumatized to bloom, dere
Luccia: | is little for me to do here.
I am sure I can find some |
interesting research material |
if I tag along vith you. |
|
Luccia: |
I vill join you. |
Ooh hoho hoho! |
|
[System] |
Luccia assimilated into your |
party. |
And that's all for this time, folks. Still to come: Leena and Leena discussing the merits of
the male PCs, Glenn's trophy-related flashback, infodumping shamans, and some miscellaneous
odds and ends.
